Many hardware systems running software applications require some type of user input. While input peripherals once consisted primarily of joysticks and mice, modern systems require more advanced user inputs. For example, educational tools and other software applications invite users to interact with objects separate from the components of the system itself (e.g., a display screen coupled to the system, etc.), thereby necessitating additional inputs from peripherals designed to interact with the separate objects. Since numerous objects can be used with the system and the objects can be moved independently of the system, position determination and object identification have become important inputs to modern systems.
One conventional solution to position determination is the use of a coded dot pattern such as the products offered by the Anoto Group AB of Sweden. While the coded dot patterns may allow an input device to recognize a dot coding and identify its position on the pattern, the pattern itself provides no means for object identification. Additionally, both the pattern itself and the hardware for reading the pattern are complex and expensive to implement considering the cost of the optical sensors for reading the pattern, the cost of printing a usable pattern, etc.
Other conventional solutions involve the use of electrostatic and/or capacitive positioning. Similar to the coded dot patterns discussed above, electrostatic and capacitive positioning also lack means for object identification. Additionally, both technologies are expensive to implement and discourage use in small products given the large size of the required hardware.